The Slavs of 2013-2014

Stephanie spent the past few years before coming to Yale doing hands-on development work in Cambodia. But besides her wonderful accolades as a humanitarian, she is also a world-touring slam poet. She began her poetic journey at the age of 6 when her first pledge of allegiance recitation stunned the whole school assembly. In the space between college and grad school, she has also been a construction worker, a secret message decoder for the FBI, a scuba diver for blue pearls, and an astronaut. Steph enjoys fried crickets, long bike rides through the rice paddies, and hitchhiking in Eastern Europe via retrofitted ambulances. Don’t cross her. She has a hand in Croatian economics.

Favorite Slavs Song: Gonja…because a sieve remains a sieve.Favorite Cheese: HavartiFun Fact: Stephanie has been known to wield a jackhammer.

You might guess by looking at her that Kelly is an Irish lass, and you’d be right! Her family hails from County Mayo, Ireland. She hasn’t strayed too far from her ethnic roots; instead of Irish step dancing you can find Kelly tap dancing around campus. Kelly has always been a bit mischievous; she had her first appointment with the school principal in the second grade. There was some mixup with a broken window—something to do with shouting and glass shattering…she doesn’t like to speak of it. For the immediate thereafter, she had to wear a Bane-style face mask, but since coming to college that period of her life is long over. We’re delighted that the power of her voice has been unleashed in Slavs. One day she hopes to marry Jason Segel. She also sings with Whim ‘n Rhythm.

This beautiful female comes from Cincinnati Ohio–the land of George Clooney and Graeter’s Ice Cream! Her hobbies include being smiley, singing Irish folk songs, and making the world a better place. She enjoys home-grown foods, long walks in thick grasses, sunny days, and playing stringed instruments. Justine and her twin sister Anna Rose often delight in the beautiful simplicities of everyday life. Justine owns many beautiful patterned socks and tights. You might as well call her Yovanitsa.

Favorite Cheese: GorgonzolaFavorite Slavs Song: NaninaFun Fact: The beautiful dreads that you see on Justine’s head today were the second attempt at dreading her hair. The first attempt simply slipped out of her silky smooth hair!

Amanda has been a Slav at heart for many years before we were lucky enough to get our hands on her. If her voice doesn’t knock your socks off your feet, her eyes certainly will: Amanda has the coolest case of heterochromia. (When she was little, she hoped that this meant she had super powers, and she was right! Her voice and hair are made of magic.) Amanda. Even her name is mysterious. Who knows what hijinks she gets up to in her spare time? We certainly don’t. Whenever we ask her how she’s been, we only get evasive answers. Suspicion confirmed: Amanda is a spy, and a good one at that. How could you not trust that charming smile?

Favorite Slavs Song: NaninaFavorite Cheese: RicottaFun Fact: Amanda was scooped up by a hawk when she was a baby. This is why she perpetually craves baklava.

Cynthia loves cats. She appreciates bugs for their awesomeness, but she genuinely loves cats. More than most things. If the world runs into a food shortage, Cynthia will be more than happy to eat cereal. As it is she could eat cereal at most meals on most days. Don’t let her quiet demeanor fool you; Cynthia is an impassioned environmental activist willing to put her liberty at stake for her love of all things earth. She spends as much time as possible in the outdoors and has been known to really hug trees. Cynthia’s hair is 30% silk (sustainably harvested, of course). She auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance and made it to Vegas in 2010, but had to leave the competition because of an injury. Cynthia. She’s a really cool dancer. Cynthia. Boogie to the groove now.

Abigail Emerson was once a Soviet Spy. The CIA doesn’t know this, so don’t tell them. They are still looking for her. She once stole the Nuclear Launch codes, ya see, and they really want those back, in case the commies blow up all the nukes, and the entire world ends in a nuclear winter.

But it’s OK. Abby defected a while back (generally considered to be “good for the jews”). She has since spent her time camping in Vermont, bopping about Philadelphia, and, most excitingly, every now and then attending a class at Yale. When not pretending she can’t speak Russian (in order to divert the CIA), Abby enjoys hopping on one foot, pretending to be a nice doggy, worshipping Ofra Chaza, and preparing how best to make a Lord of the Rings reference in Slavs Rehearsals. Often all at once. When pretending not to be a Slav (in order to divert her Slavfanboys) she sometimes engages in “theater”–acting, directing, stage managing, costuming, makeuping, onewomanshowing…the usual.

But who is the real Abby? The Soviet Spy? The Slav? The LOTRfangirl? Who can tell. We get lost in her smile and infectious laughter quite regularly. You should too.

Favorite Slavs Song: Shto GaritFavorite Cheese: BrieFun Fact: In Chinese, there is a special four character phrase (成语) that describes the curl of Abby’s hair.

Once upon a 1990, in a far away land, a woman looked up at her husband, her hand on her belly, and said, “Honey, I think we’re going to have an ARG!” And so they did. The ARG grew in health and splendor, running around the state of Georgia with songs on her lips and mud on her hands. She learned many things as she wandered: about worms and compost and dirt, about music theory, General Ecology, Russian, the meaning of friendship, and magical golden accordions. This bright-haired enchantress now uses her awesome and terrible powers as a member of the Yale Slavic Chorus, member of Yale STEP, Konjo dancer, farmer, and friend to everyone who meets her.

Sometimes when you run into Claire, it’s hard not to wonder how so much exuberance and beautiful energy can fit into such a petite human being. Then you remember that she’s extraordinary in many, many ways and you stop wondering and simply start appreciating. A distant descendant of Genghis Khan, Claire spends her free time breaking bricks with her teeth and fighting off bears with her left pinky. What do woodchucks whisper to themselves as they chuck wood? What are fish saying when they open and close their mouths? And what’s the deal with those platypuses? We don’t know. But Claire does. An internationally ranked pun star, she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Favorite Slavs Song: Teften KateFavorite Cheese: BabybelFun Fact: Claire once tried to count all of her freckles. She was successful but won’t tell anyone how many she really has.

Charlotte may not know any Zulu yet, but she does speak nine other languages: English, French, Thai, Catalan, Korean, Farsi, Tagalog, Urdu, and Yoruba. Notably, none of these languages are of any use when singing with the Slavs, but Charlotte is so talented that she doesn’t need any of that silly “understanding what you’re singing about” stuff. Speaking of talent, Charlotte is nationally ranked in the fine art of cow tipping and expects to receive recognition of her abilities from the agricultural industry any day now. When she’s not busy being such a badass that the rest of us can’t see straight, she dresses up as Princess Leia and tries to count her own freckles. (Alas, unlike Claire, Charlotte has thus far been unsuccessful. This page will be updated when we have more news.)

Favorite Slavs Song: Mamli MukhasaFavorite Cheese: Goat cheeseFun Fact: Charlotte has broken the barrier between the wizarding world and our own — she’s been successful at crossing over to Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters and has the scars to prove it.

Leslie Hiciano (BR ’14)Voice Part: Alto IIHometown: New York, NYMajor: She wants to be an astronaut.

Leslie was born in an Edward Hopper painting, but grew up in a Norman Rockwell magazine cover. She spent her childhood days on the streets of Manhattan, playing whiffleball in the streets and shooting short independent films which would later be displayed in community theaters to audiences of 20. During her time spent in the city, she interned (read: hung around the kitchen) with Mario Batali, learning how to make a smorgasbord of gourmet Italian dishes. It is here she also became an expert in singing while chopping onions, a skill she takes with her to Yale, where she sings in both the Yale Women’s Slavic Chorus and Tangled Up In Blue. In short, Leslie is awesome.

Chihiro’s name is Romanian for “cheese hero.” Aside from singing for Slavs, Chihiro is a co-president of Global Zero, Japanese editor for Accent magazine, and a writer of travel articles for a site called Jetset Times. She grew up in the tropics and had no recollection or understanding of seasons until she came to Yale, but Slavs retreat in Vermont for two consecutive years has converted her to a lover of all things Autumn. She once defeated the Kraken with the power of her yik. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle based A Scandal in Bohemia on a rough draft of her autobiography.

Favorite Slavs Song: Aylye, Lyulye, LyulyeFavorite Cheese: NeufchatelFun Fact: This summer Chihiro sailed around the world on a cruise, a reward for winning an essay contest. You’ve just joined the list of people who are jealous of this.

Sierra’s eyes will pierce your soul. They will know you better than you’ve ever known yourself. They will show you your innermost secrets like you’ve never seen them. Or at least it seems that way — look at those baby blues, it seems totally reasonable to assume so. Sierra is here to kick butt and chew gum, and she’s all out of gum. These days, when she’s not singing with us, she’s singing her heart out with the Yale Glee Club and dancing her heart out with Steppin’ Out. Sierra’s favorite pastime when she was little was to pretend to be a horse — we expect only greatness from her in the years to come. Ask her about tree identification, Georgian music, and cracker preferences. She has strong feelings on all three topics.

Favorite Slavs Song: You must submit to the power of her eyes to find out.Favorite Cheese: Sharp cheddarFun Fact: Sierra took a gap year to explore Narnia more fully than she’d had time to in high school.

Words cannot explain how fortunate we are to have Nathalie when you consider how many other musical groups she is a part of at Yale. Nathalie is a talented member of the Yale Klezmer Band, Orkestar BAM!, Sacred Harp, and Linnunrata. When she’s not singing or playing musical instruments, she’s defending her title as the reigning crossword champion at Yale. Ask her for help on a crossword sometime: it’s a sigh to behold, we kid you not. Nathalie’s family has been in the Slavic business for a long time — when she was very young, her family moved to Bulgaria to open nothing less than a Chinese restaurant. We’ve never been, but we hear that the place gets rave reviews. Nathalie has great taste in music (we would know) — ask her about Scandinavian folk music sometime. You have no idea how much you don’t know. But Nathalie does.

Sonya’s name means “dormouse” in Russian. (Un)fortunately, this does not reflect upon her sleeping habits (or lack thereof). It is, however, reflected in her facial features? See for yourself! As one of the two Slavic members of the Slavic Chorus, Sonya frequently plays a game she likes to call “Can I Pretend to Speak Bulgarian and Translate This Song.” The answer depends on how many obscure words there are — she’s gotten good at wedding and Christmas songs. We all have our vices. Sonya’s are nail polish and really, really good cheese on really, really good bread. Cheddar made with mustard seed and ale? Yes please. Sonya has worked on an Alaskan oil rig, speaks Swahili, and can fly a helicopter. These things sometimes happen all at the same time. Don’t ask how, we don’t know either, but her parents are very proud.

Favorite Slavs Song: Sazeimo PerkhuliFavorite Cheese: Goat CheeseFun Fact: Sonya’s first language was dog, or at least so she has been told.

Jana Lohrová (ES ’16)Voice Part: Soprano IIPositions: Social Chair (’14-’15), Business Manager (’13-’14)Hometown: Praha, Czech RepublicMajor: Mollecular, Cellular, and Development Biology & Global Affairs, but that may not work out…

Once, two protons collided in a particle accelerator and decided that the Higgs boson wasn’t good enough, so Jana was created instead. In lieu of studying hard at Yale, Jana just does a lot of ballroom dancing because the Viennese Waltz beats microeconomics nine times out of ten. Jana loved Stiles before even being assigned to it because she doesn’t like when buildings are lying to her about their age. She’s not interested in this imitation-Gothic-business. When she’s back in Praha, she roams forests with her white wolf (Swiss shepherd) Kara. Jana keeps an army of three million fiercely protective honeybees as pets. She also lives in a tree house built on an Ent. She brought her home to college with her, and the Ent is in fact posing as a normal tree somewhere on campus.

Alexandria is in the Medical School at Yale getting her PhD, but she was also an undergraduate here and she sang with Slavs then, too. We were so happy to have her return, we decided to give her the extra challenge of learning an entirely new voice part! She’s so multi-talented she zoomed through the learning. She also sings with the Yale Camerata. She has beautiful cats. She is beautiful. And she’s getting married! The bird flies over the wide field…

K-K-K-Katy, a popular WWI era song published in 1918, was preemptively written about our very own KNM, whose lucky number and birthday happen to be 18. The song is perfect for her. She loves the moon, she loves the shore, and she loves kitchens. She particularly enjoys chopping onions. She also sings in a variety of other vocal ensembles on campus, including Redhot & Blue and Whim ‘n Rhythm.

As is typical of an aspiring Classics major, Anne likes to memorize mythological genealogy (hint: everyone is related to Zeus). She is an unstoppable doodler and will scrawl upon any and all stationary surfaces. Beware napping cats. Beware human statues. Her love for tea is rivaled only by her love for the BBC. This works out well, as tea is the national beverage of the United Kingdom. Anne is considering majoring in cheese with a minor in White Russians. Anne was accepted to Yale in part as a recruit for varsity Cards Against Humanity. When she isn’t singing in Slavs or New Blue, she spends her time training hard on her card skills. Anne has a secret superpower: a special kind of telekinesis whereby she can move objects with her beautiful alto voice.

Maclovia “Clover” Quintana hails from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She also loves El Nino, and has a special face she makes when talking about this very specific dog. Maclovia is woofing in New Zealand. Maclovia is smart shoes. Maclovia is permaculture. Maclovia is farmer’s markets. Maclovia is red glasses. Maclovia is slav dinner. Maclovia is purple. Maclovia is the green house. Maclovia is a gloriously colored skirt. Maclovia is a nose plug. Maclovia is Oye! Maclovia is spring salvage. Maclovia is a soprano. Maclovia is true love! Maclovia is scarves. Maclovia is an Uwan. Maclovia is amazing! Maclovia is cheese in the form of a human being. Maclovia is all these things and more. We’re so happy to have her back.

This girl. When she’s not at Slavs, she rocks everyone’s socks in Steppin’ Out, Glee Club, Gilbert and Sullivan shows, or her own band. A true musician who analyzes songs to figure out why they are so good, dances to everything, writes and records her own music. Not to mention she is hilarious. Also, the flavor of gum you are chewing might have been invented by Ayanna–resident Wrigley flavor producer. I know you all want her, but she is in a relationship with Simon, her beloved ukelele.